Higher Education Minister Idris Jusoh denied that external influence led Universiti Malaya (UM) to take action against four students involved in the "Tangkap MO1" rally.

Quizzed on the claim by one of the students, Anis Syafiqah Md Yusof, the minister replied: "They can say anything, it is a free country. Since you are free, you can mention anything you want to mention."

"(The) decision (was) by UM. They make their own decisions. They don't have to consult me," Idris told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Stressing that the government does not interfere in such matters, Idris said local universities are autonomous, and have their own committees to look into such cases.

Yesterday, Anis, Mohd Luqman Hakim Fazli and Mohamad Luqman Nul Haqim Zul Razali were suspended for a semester and fined RM400. Another student activist Suhail Wan Azhar was fined RM400.

The students would be filing an appeal against the university's decision soon

The students were involved with the "TangkapMO1" rally held in August in the wake of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filing civil suits on the alleged abuse of 1MDB funds.

The DOJ claimed US$731 million went to a senior government official, whom it described as "Malaysian Official 1" (MO1).

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan said MO1 referred to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

However, Rahman said, since the prime minister was not named in the documents, Najib was not being investigated.

Najib has denied abusing public funds for personal gain, and blamed such allegations on those conspiring to topple him from power.

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali has also cleared the prime minister of any wrongdoing.